


Follow Through

by TrishaCollins



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-06-13 16:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15368712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrishaCollins/pseuds/TrishaCollins
Summary: "Thanks for the offer," I said. "I don't think so. Ax, take him. Rachel? Help Ax. Carefully!"What if Jake didn't hesitate?





	1. Chapter 1

He woke with a sour taste in his mouth and the feeling that someone had made a colossal effort to carve his head like a jack-o-lantern. He brought his hand up, trying to locate the source of the pain. There were bandages covering it. Bandages. Really? Yeerks didn’t use bandages. 

“Easy." A soft voice said, but really as soon as consciousness really caught up with him there was no taking the sudden need to be violently ill 'easy'.

Thankfully, the owner of the voice seemed to be expecting it, and the contents of his stomach filled a basin rather than his lap.

“Better?” she asked, smile gentle.

“Ung.” He responded vaguely, studying the IV in the back of his hand.

“Take it slow. You’ve been unconscious for a few days.”

He rubbed at the bandages, frowning as he tried to remember what had happened. Take him. And pain, and shock, and rage. And darkness.

“Three days.” He muttered. “I was unconscious for three days, wasn’t I?” He looked at her – really looked at her, not just let her presence filter through his awareness without any thought attached – and Eva grimaced back at him.

“The fugue is unpleasant. Jake thought it would be easier if you slept through it.” She explained, hand shifting behind his shoulder and helping him sit up. “Dizzy?”

“Yeah.” He sighed, rubbing his head again. “Can I take this out?”

“It’s just saline now. You are almost finished with the bag.” Eva reached forward and plucked the needle out.

His hand twitched, blood welling up before his body reacted and fur covered it – briefly, ever so briefly – and then receded. 

Eva snorted. “Lazy.”

He shrugged at her. “Where are we?”

“Base camp. Jake wanted to be here.” From the look on her face, she knew she was lying and wasn’t expecting him to buy it.

“Sure.” He rubbed at his face, squinting his eyes for a moment and then forcing the tension out of his jaw, working each individual joint in his hands and feet until he was sure it was his body again. “That andalite hit hard.”

Eva snorted. “He got me too a few years ago. It will leave a mark. Hungry?”

“I still think I chewed on the back end of a taxxon. Not yet.”

“Well, you will need to eat.”

No sympathy, not from Eva. He could recognize the unspoken code of conduct. Hosts didn’t ask if other hosts were alright, unless they were kids. Eva wasn’t going to treat him as a kid. “I’ll eat. Just not right now.”

She gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Walk?”

His legs remembered how to walk, even if all he had done was pace for a long while. “Sure.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, expression fond. “You are stubborn.”

“Mom had to give it to one of us.” He tried to smile, but the thought of his mother made his stomach churn.

“She gave it to both of you.” Eva replied, leaning forward to muss his hair. “It’s good to see you, Tom.”

He manages a brittle smile in response.

 ***

Sara squealed as soon as she saw him, launching herself at him. Eva tensed, but he bent down to meet her rush with open arms, lifting her off the ground and pressing his face in her hair. She was still little enough to be scooped up, and her hair smelled like sunshine and outdoors.

“Tom!” Jordan had gotten taller, and her grip around him was tight and demanding, though she let go quickly, checking him over. “You’re ok, right? Sara isn’t hurting you?”

“Fine, Danny. Hey Sar-bear, I can’t see your eyes.” He smoothed her hair back, trying to untangle her enough to look at her. 

She made a broken sobbing noise against his shoulder, pressing closer.

Jordan didn’t look entirely convinced, but her face wrinkled up the same way at the nickname. “I’m too old for a boy’s nickname, Tom.” She told him flatly.

He laughed a bit, still trying to get a look at Sarah. “Too old, Dan? Really?”

Jordan dropped her eyes, which made him realize the mistake of the old joke.

Uncle Dan wasn’t here. Just Aunt Naomi. 

He swallowed back the lump in his throat, not sure how to fix his mistake.

“Do you…” Jordan bit her lip, toeing the ground. “You know what happened to him?”

He tightened his arms around Sara. “Yeah, J. I do.”

She looked up at him, eyes filling with tears that she was obviously fighting against, lower lip quivering. “Is- is he?”

He glanced at Eva, but she was looking away. “He’s alive, kiddo.”

Jordan’s shoulders slumped, head going down.

He crouched down, shifting his hand to her shoulder. “He and Aunt Ellen are in Boston right now, pretty far away from all the fighting. He is safe, ok?”

Jordan wiped at her face with the back of her arm and sniffled loudly. “Does it hurt? When they put them in? Does it – Rachel said they squirm around in your ear and move things around?”  
Blunt as ever. He sighed and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Comer.”

She stepped closer, leaning against him and wilting. 

He rubbed her back, thinking.

“Nobody tells us anything.” Jordan mumbled.

Eva sighed. “Jordan...”

“It hurts a little at first.” He explained. “Like water in your ears. But then they numb the area and you can just feel it moving around. It’s not comfortable, but you get used to it pretty quick.”

Jordan made an unhappy noise.

“I know. But he will be ok, and probably gladder than I am to see you two again.”

Jordan nuzzled his shoulder, squeezing herself closer.

“Where is Aunt Naomi?” he asked, keeping them both close.

“On the radios.” Jordan sighed, leaning more of her weight against him. 

The war had still been going on while he was sleeping. 

“Wanna show me around? You can catch me up on everything.”

He tried not to think about his other cousins, or about other kids he had helped comfort. But it was hard, he could easily remember Forrest's confused and uncertain face as the Yeerk had been lifted to his ear, or Brooke’s alarmed sobbing and struggle. 

It was too easy to remember some things, and too hard to remember others.

Jordan nodded, grabbing his hand. “Did you talk to him? Dad? Or aunt Ellen or Uncle George? Or Uncle Steve or Aunt Jean?” Her list stopped there.

“I haven’t seen Uncle Dan since he was infested, and Uncle George was pretty much kept away. But I saw Aunt Ellen for a bit. In- the yeerk that had me kept track of where all the family was.” He told her, letting her drag them along, Sara still wrapped around his neck and sniffling. 

“That’s how you know where dad and Aunt Ellen are.” Jordan nodded. “Rachel tried to find him, but he was gone when they went to his apartment. Why Boston?'

“Smaller pool there. They we’re trying to set things up on the west coast.” He hesitated, looking at Eva over his shoulder. “Most of the younger ones were sent there.”

“How come Aunt Ellen?” Sara mumbled against his shoulder. 

 

Because of the babies. But he wasn’t sure how to explain that. Had anyone even known that aunt Ellen was pregnant? That she and Uncle George had been trying for another baby after Saddler's death?

“Tom?” Aunt Naomi's voice was a little bit breathless. “Eva, I thought you said…never mind. Are you ok? How do you feel? Can I get you something?”

He stepped back before she could grab him, trying to smile. “Great. Doing great. Thanks.”

“Nonsense. Sara, come here. How long were you infested? God, you have got to be just.” she shook her head and tried to take Sara.

Sara whined and tightened her grip.

“Sar-bear, choking.” She loosened her grip fractionally. “Really, aunt Naomi. I am fine. Glad to be here. To see Sara and Jordan.”

She looked doubtful. “Jake said you would be a bit of a wreck.”

Jake knew a lot about fighting controllers, not recovering them. He took a deep breath through his nose, in and out, and then another because his nerves still felt frayed and on the verge of sending him into a total panic.

“Dad and aunt Ellen are in Boston. Dad is a controller too.” Jordan informed her mom flatly, squeezing his hand tightly, jaw jutting out defiantly.

Aunt Naomi looked startled and then unhappy. “Tom…”

“Rachel just left to go kill people, mom. I asked.” Jordan tossed her head. “Come on. I'll show you our place.”

Aunt Naomi looked entirely unhappy, but Eva was stepping closer and he was more than willing to let Jordan drag him around and away from the conversation.

*~~*~*~*~

Sara had drooled a wet patch on his shoulder when he woke, half a startled reaction resulting in both girls being pulled under his shoulders as he leaned forward over them.

He just caught the flush of fur across Rachel’s cheeks as it receded, her eyes narrowed as she took in the view.

Jordan grumbled and pushed against his shoulder, squinting at the door. “Oh. It’s you.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Tom?”

“Yeah?” Like Eva would have let him out of the med tent without verifying the existence of a very dead yeerk. 

Sara wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck, pressing into his shoulder and seemed intent on remaining asleep.

“Jake, he’s in here.” Rachel called over her shoulder without looking away from him. “Mom said you know where my dad is.”

“And everyone else.” He confirmed, adjusting Sara until he could sit up again. “Why?”

“We need to go get them.” Sara let go of his shoulder with a faint protest 

“Right now?” He squinted past her, it was getting dark. 

“Now.” Rachel confirmed, icy. 

Jake appeared behind her, looking faintly confused for a moment. But tired, very very tired. “Tom.” It wasn’t a question.

“You guys are bullies. He’s tired.” Jordan told them, wrapping herself around his arm.

“Hush.” Rachel returned, not looking at her sister, drilling her eyes through him.

“Hey, Sunshine, we going to fight?” He asked carefully, glancing between her and Jake. 

Rachel startled, frowning at him, working her jaw carefully. “Don’t call me that.” 

“We’re not going to fight.” Jake made a noise that was just…well, tired. Jake looked worn through. “We just need to know where they are. Will you help?”

He had thought a lot about what his first conversation with his brother might be, how much they had to discuss. Probably played the ideas around in his head a million times, though granted most of them had some very unwelcome editorial commentary from Iniss.

Well. There was later for that. He tried to shrug off the disappointment, tried to focus through it. He was good at maintaining focus through a lot. “Aunt Ellen and Uncle Dan are at the secondary pool with the next generation hosts.”

Jake looked confused for a moment, and when understanding stuck he paled, head dropping. “No.”

He untangled Sara, tucking her into the bed mat they had been napping on. “I’ll come back, ok? You go back to sleep.”

“Promise?” Sara whispered. 

“Absolutely, I can’t leave my favorite bear by herself when she’s scared.” He kissed her forehead, then lightly nudged Jordan to lay down next to her sister. “I’ll be back, JD.”

“You can call me Danny.” Jordan whispered, throwing her arms around his neck for a moment, then cuddling down with Sara. “Don’t let them be bullies.”

“Hey. Do I ever?”

Jordan peered at him under her eyelashes, and then shook her head. 

“I’ll take care of things.” He tucked the blankets around her, and stood, making his way out of the room.

Jake and Rachel almost jumped to get out of his way. 

He pulled the door closed behind them, then turned to level a look at Rachel. “Hey, Cuz. How are you?” 

Rachel frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Having a conversation. So?” He tipped his head, trying to match the tone he might have used at a family reunion. 

Rachel shot a quick look at Jake, and then looked back to him, clearly caught off guard. “I’m fine.”

“Ok. So what’s causing the temper explosion?” He asked, keeping his tone even. 

“Cut the crap. Haven’t you noticed that we’re involved in a war?” Rachel grumbled, crossing her arms. 

“Yeah. Of course we are.” He agreed, glancing at Jake. “Far as I can tell, I’ve been involved in it a bit longer than you have and on the side with the mind controlling hive mind.”

Rachel scowled. “We know. What’s your point?”

Jake was shuffling, not looking nearly as confident as he had been the last few times “they” had met face to face.  
“My point is that I’m pretty happy to see you, and Jake, and the girls and god I will happily go and help you save our parents, Sunshine. But you can lose the war without losing a single fight.” 

Rachel turned towards Jake and made a sharp gesture to him. “Deal with him.”

He managed to turn his sigh into a snort, which wasn't the chuckle he wanted, but it would do before he turned his gaze to Jake, forcing the normal front into place. “Wrestling match?”

“Fuck.” Jake whispered, covering his face with a hand. 

Rachel looked briefly confused, glancing between them. 

Jake was shaking, just a little tremor at first, but then a full blown shudder that seemed to take over him, until he couldn’t stop trembling.

“Jake?” Rachel sounded more confused, and then worried and suspicious. “What did you do?”

“Knock it off.” Jake rasped, barely verbal. “Just…god, stop for a second.”

He took a step closer to his brother, reaching for him slowly until a hand was settled on his shoulder, and then he managed to settle his other hand on the other shoulder. 

The shuddering got worse until it was almost a full seizure. 

“Hey, little man, breathe.” 

And that was when the first sob escaped his baby brother. 

He put his arms around him, and Jake’s arms knotted around his waist, face pressing into his shoulder with another broken sob. 

Rachel frowned at him, crossing and uncrossing her arms while Jake cried, leaning against him. “What did you do?”

“Got captured and infested, that’s what.” He retorted, dry, circling his hand against Jake’s back.

Rachel wilted a little, looking away, lips pressed into a thin line. 

“What happened to you, Sunshine?”

“War happened, and I got over it.” Rachel knotted her hands into fists. “We’re going to finish it. The pool ship is grounded. Visser One is captured. All that’s left is the Blade ship and the secondary pool.”

“If Visser One is captured, then it is already over.” He leaned his chin on Jake’s head. “At most, there is a sub-visser in control of the Boston engagement. What does the surrender look like?” 

Rachel’s forehead furrowed. “Complete. We’re trying to deal with the Andalites right now, but Visser One’s host-“

“Alloran.” He supplied, Jake hiccupped. 

“Alloran has been supporting us and being more help than we thought he would be. We have morphing cubes and permission to use them on the Yeerks.”

“Where are you going to put them all?” He mused, thinking. “There’s at least thirty thousand.”

“Yeah. We’re still figuring that out.” Rachel scowled. “But my dad.”

“But your dad, and Aunt Ellen, and Uncle George, and the cousins, and my-our parents. And all the other hosts that are currently in holding because while the main pool on earth is destroyed, they didn’t want to turn everyone loose.” 

“Holding?”

He nodded. “Iniss was in charge of a lot, Rachel.” 

“How are you like this? How are you so calm? Why are you together when you’ve had…” Rachel looked away, frustrated. 

“When I’ve had a Yeerk in my head for five years?” He returned, gently. “I’ll probably crash at some point, but I feel pretty ok. There isn’t a yeerk in my head right now, and there are things I need to do.” 

“Things you need to do.” Rachel repeated, flat, looking at Jake. 

Jake was stress crashing in his arms, shuddering and sobbing, pawing at him. 

“Well, yeah. I have you and Jake, and Sara and Jordan, and Brooke, Justin and Forest are going to need me. Probably Aunt Ellen, and Uncle Dan and Uncle George too.” 

Rachel shook her head and turned away, crossing her arms under her breasts and bowing her head a bit. 

“You want a hug too?”

Rachel huffed. “We can’t fix this.”

“Sure we can.” He adjusted Jake, opening his other arm to her. “I have two arms.”

Rachel’s face cracked for a half second, lips twitching. “You’re an idiot.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

Rachel shook her head, then took a half step too him, not quite leaning her entire weight on him and leaving a considerable gap between them. But she did hug him, so he chalked the victory down for himself. 

*~*~*~*

Alloran was standing with Eva when he finally got Jake together enough to walk back to the rest, and brightened visibly, trotting over to meet them. < Tom! >

He grinned, taking the offered arm in a brief clasp. “They told me One was captured and they had removed the infection, I didn't expect to see you here!"

Alloran chuckled, eyes crinkling. < Enough of a coward that he left as soon as it became apparent they would starve him out. Yourself? >

“They kept me unconscious for the duration. My head still feels a bit like someone has been drumming around, but its fading.”

Jake was gaping at him, uncertain. “Do all the upper level hosts know each other?”

He grimaced. “Usually, yeah. Yeerks are very political and when there’s a trial – or an interrogation – they keep the hosts in the same area while the Yeerks feed.” 

< I spent some time with Eva as well as Tom, and other high level hosts. They’re very particular about what is done with the hosts, since if either of us were collaborators we could easily turn the tide in favor. > Alloran explained. 

He snorted. “I’ve never met a high level host that was.” 

Alloran shrugged, an entirely human gesture that looked a bit odd. < Stranger things have happened. >

“I doubt even the council had willing hosts.” He shrugged, releasing Alloran’s arm. “They want to go to Boston.”

Alloran looked briefly concerned. < You know what they will find there? >

He grimaced, wishing he could manage thoughtspeak while human.

< Ah. They insist. Well. It must be dealt with. Are you certain you are ready to face it? >

“I have to be.” He answered, simple, ignoring the look from his brother and cousin.

Alloran looked immediately sad, reaching to brush fingers against his shoulder. < I will go with you, if you wish. >

“Thanks, but you might scare them more. Sorry.” 

“Scare who?” Jake asked, frowning. “Alloran’s privating you. What’s going on?”

He shook his head at Jake. “We were talking about Boston. We probably need to go, I don’t suppose you stole a bug fighter?”

“None of us can fly one.” Rachel muttered.

He sighed. “I can. Come on, I know where they’re docked.” 

Jake paused, briefly clearly at war with himself before something sly and familiar settled on his face. “Can you really fly a bug fighter?” 

“Look, if we go your way it’ll take weeks. If we hail one of your military guys like, hours. We go sub-orbital in a Bug Fighter and its ten minutes tops.” He wiggled his fingers. “I’ve been back seat driving for enough hours to know how to do this and they’re retrofitted a bunch of them for human pilots because it is an absolute chore to try to reach everything suited for something that is three feet taller than the current operating system.” He gestured to himself. “Besides, do you know how long I’ve wanted to fly one of those things solo? Even if I crash it dramatically, we’re taking the bug fighter.”

Jake actually laughed. 

*~*~*~*

Flying a bug fighter was almost worth the last five years of his life. Almost. Barely not. 

Rachel had burst into laughter pointing at Marco just as they got into orbit, clearly caught up in some private memory.

Marco grumbled, leaning back in his chair. “How did you learn to do that?”

“Believe it or not, Yeerks do training sims for reflexes.” He was mostly focused on plotting the course he needed, checking the nav computer. “And I was a high ranked host for long enough that I had most of the access codes memorized.” 

“You retain that much?” Marco asked, swinging his feet. 

“When all you can do is memorize and learn? Yeah. I retain a lot. They’re also lazy and the host is an extra set of eyes with nothing to do but pay attention to their surroundings. Mine was, at least.” He glanced at Eva, questioning. 

She snorted. “Edriss couldn’t be bothered. If I learned anything, it was in spite of her, not because of her. But I’ve known other hosts with that skill.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not really a skill. Just memorizing. Iniss was obsessed with it, so we spent a lot of time in the sims.” He finished plotting the course. “Eleven minutes until reentry, then about three minutes to land. They answered my hail already and have given me and open dock. Cloaking now, unless you warned your general friend.” 

“Yeah.” Jake leaned over his shoulder, looking over the computers. “You think they’re going to cause trouble?”

He shook his head. “No, these are people – Yeerks - who were not suited for front of the line. They’re in charge of progeneration. Plus, this is where they’re storing the hosts they didn’t want to lose after the Kandrona was destroyed in Vallejo. There’s a Yeerk pool there, so some non-critical staff, but if they were fighters they were in California.”

Jake paused, hand tightening on his shoulder. “Progeneration. Kids?”

He nodded. “Any host too young to be useful in the field was moved to Boston. Lots of baby Yeerks here, too. They do make an effort to protect them.” 

Jake made a soft noise in the back of his throat, and sat down behind him, covering his face with a hand.

“They’re going to roll over. It won’t be a fight.” He reassured. “I’ve already told them the terms, and they’re accepting it and scared. It’s the best they’ll get and they know it.”

Jake nodded, leaning his head against the back of his chair. 

He reached out and fluffed his brother’s hair, smoothing it back gently. 

Jake sighed, grinding his face against the back of his hand. “You ok?”

“Midget, I’m fine. Are you ok? I can go in and handle this for you.”

Jake blinked, tilting his head a bit, confused. “You shouldn’t.”

He shrugged. “The offer is there. I know how to deal with hosts, Jake. I know how to deal with Yeerks.” 

“You shouldn’t have to.” Jake looked away, jaw tightening. 

“I don’t have to. That’s the spirit of an offer, Jake. But I can do it, if you’re not up for dealing with all of them. I can get Uncle Dan and Aunt Ellen and stay to deal with the rest of it.” He caught Eva’s eyes for a moment. “Uh, though….Bug Fighters aren’t really suited for car seats.”

“Car seats?” Rachel asked, frowning.

He sighed, checking his controls. “I forget that nobody else knew about it, but Aunt Ellen and Uncle George were trying for another kid. They got another kid, well – two more, twins. Samantha and Benjamin. Two months ago now.”

Cassie jerked. “They’re not…they didn’t?”

“Infest them? No, human infants are worthless as hosts.” He grimaced, realizing how cold that sounded. “The “ideal age” is apparently six or seven.” 

Even Rachel looked slightly ill at that.

“But you knew about it?” Jake asked quietly. 

“I told you, the Yeerk was keeping track.” He closed his eyes briefly, allowing himself a chance to grieve. “After they figured out who you were, he kept track. If you started collecting the relatives, he would know you were coming for me. Testing softer targets.” 

Jake balled up his hand in his shirt, pinching the fabric close to his body. 

He dropped his hand to cover Jake’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll fix it. We can get it all back.”

Jake nodded, mute and slightly bowed.

“And I can handle things. This stuff- I lived it, it’s not a surprise. You have done enough for the world, Jake. Wait. Wait here. Ok?” 

Jake mutely shook his head. 

He sighed softly, leaning against the back of the chair. “Alright. We’re landing.”

*~*~*~*~

The Yeerk controlling his aunt met him at the door, shoulders tense, looking between him and Jake. “You swore.”

“If you surrender, you will not be harmed.” He assured. “Even Visser One is being treated the same. Amnesty, if you leave your host. For anyone here.”

The Yeerk nodded. “Most of them are already in the pool. Someone had to speak for us.”

“Right. I understand.” He stepped forward, reaching for her arm. “Do you want me to walk you to the pool?”

She gave him a startled look, a little bemused, a little unsure. “Would you?”

“If it would make you feel more comfortable. It’s mostly younger Yeerks here, isn’t it? They’re securing morphing cubes. Your children will be allowed the same chances as ours. Freedom.” He kept his voice gentle as they walked, leading her back the way they had come.

“Freedom.” She looked over her shoulder to Jake. “But at what cost?”

“No cost.” He told her, giving Aunt Ellen’s arm a squeeze. “Just a future where you do not have to control someone else.”

The Yeerk paused, then gave him a wistful look. “Could we morph humans?”

He looked over his shoulder, Jake wasn’t looking at him, but Cassie nodded. “That can be arranged.”

“Oh. Oh that would be….I would like that.” The Yeerk was quiet. 

He led her into the pool room. “Are they all in containment?”

She nodded. “I locked the last host in. I guess….well. I could have just let them go, but I thought it was more prudent to leave them for you to get.”

“I’m going to seal the pool once you’re in, if there aren’t any others. I don’t want to risk anyone getting a bright idea.” He told her.

She gave him a small smile. “You mean a vengeful idea?”

“Yeah. Exactly what I mean. Just because someone hurt me doesn’t mean that everyone else suffers.” He touched her hand. “I’ll try to sort things out as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you.” She knelt down. “The babies….they’re in my quarters. I just fed them and put them down for a nap an hour ago. They’re alright.” She closed aunt Ellen’s eyes, and he saw her disengage, carefully caught and lifted her away and dropped her off the side of the pier as he wrapped his other arm around Ellen’s collapsing form. 

She shook, sobbing brokenly against his chest, pounding a fist against it. He sat through it patiently, rubbing her wrists and shoulders as she did. 

Because he knew it, her rage, her defeat. It took a little while for that initial violation to fade into memory. 

Six months was nowhere near enough.

“You want me to start room checking?” Eva asked, standing over them. 

“Yeah. IF the adults are stable, they can help. If not, well.” He kept rubbing Ellen’s shoulders, shushing her. “Uh- Eva, the…um.”

Eva’s eyes darkened slightly. “I’ll leave dealing with them to you.”

He nodded, settling his chin on Ellen’s head.

“Where are my babies, Tom?” She whispered. “Forest…Brooke? Where are they?”

“Here, probably. We’ll find them, ok? Let’s go see Benjamin and Sammy right now?” 

 

*~*~*~*~*

Ellen, Brooke, Sammy and Benjamin were loaded into the Bug Fighter with little incident. Justin and Forest weren’t there, neither was Uncle Dan.

What were there were at least six hundred involuntary hosts, many of them children, and seven breeders who were not in any way sane. 

One of them was Rebecca, and she absolutely recognized him, thrashing against her restraints and howling like a wild thing, spitting and trying to claw at him.

He backed out of the room and let Eva handle her, trying not to feel queasy. 

“Who…?” Jake asked quietly.

“A girl I used to date, and a girl that Iniss kept on dating. They bring late term pregnant hosts here to offload their offspring.” He explained. “None of the Yeerks want to be pregnant. She’s been a host for well over a decade.”

Jake nodded, glancing between him and the door. “That’s why the babies.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed at his ear, shifting the small ball of the tracker around the lobe. “The person in charge of that was one of Iniss’s people. Probably still on the Blade Ship.” In Melissa, last he’d known. God. Melissa. 

“Right.” Jake said quietly. “It’s being escorted back.”

“All of the people on that ship are morph capable.” He warned, quiet.

“Yeah. I remember.” Jake paused for a moment, then leaned against him. “I’m glad you’re here, Tom.”

He put his arm around his brother, pulling Jake close. “Me too, Midget. Me too.” 

They spent a quiet few moments like that, leaning against each other, until Eva came out of the room shaking her head. “She’s insane. She’s also in labor.”

“Shit. EMT or hope we have someone with medical skills in one of the holding cells?”

“EMT, I’m not trusting any of them to be together enough to handle this. You know how prolonged cage time messes with people.”

He grimaced and shuddered, and Jake looked up at him, concerned. 

“Backup hosts are…well. If they needed Iniss to do something particular sometimes he’d switch, and being locked in dumbs down your brain. People look for whatever comfort they can find, and they sleep a lot.”

Jake’s arm looped around his waist, head pressing briefly against his shoulder. 

He squeezed his brother, taking a deep breath, grounding himself. “So. Standard 911 or do we call the military in?”

“You have the pool locked?” Eva asked, frowning faintly. 

“Yeah. Sealed and capped, with the kandrona similarly protected. I scrambled the codes, too. I’m the only one who can get into it.”

Eva’s smile was wry in return. “You may have learned too much.”

He made a dismissive wave. “Ready to call your general for triage, Jake?” 

“I guess. Now we start the recovery, huh? What about you?” 

“I’ve got to figure out where they transferred Uncle Dan, and where Forest and Justin are. I’ll be busy with the computers for a bit. Nothing dangerous there, just host ids.” He grinned, giving his brother another squeeze. “Meet up in four hours?”

*~*~*~*

Eva brought him the baby, swaddled in a bright white blanket, dark eyelashes closed over tiny eyes. One of the general’s medics trailed behind her, looking uncertain. “Boy, he’s healthy.” 

He glanced at the medic, but opened his arms to take the infant. “Did she name him?”

“You don’t want to know what she called him.” Eva told him flatly. “We’re working on the paperwork to get some of the worse off cases into facilities.” 

“Crazy houses.” He intoned, rocking the baby. 

He lifted one hand, curling it by his face. 

Eva was solemn, watching them, not saying anything. 

“We’ve determined that she would be a danger to him right now. Further treatment might change that, but for now we’re looking for family.” The medic explained. “We can’t read their database, so we don’t know who the actual father is.” The medic sighed. “Or if he’s in any better condition to take care of the little man.” 

He barely looked at the woman, studying the newborn, hand resting on his tiny chest. “Have you found any family?”

“A mother on file, but we don’t know where she is.” The medic told him. “I don’t know why she wanted you to see him, but she insisted.”

Eva raised an eyebrow at him, questioning, demanding he make up his mind when he wasn’t sure what to say.

Iniss and Islin has been a thing, they carried on the thing through various hosts. Rebecca, and then when Rebecca had been too pregnant to be useful, Melissa. Probably there had been someone before him, someone Iniss had used to romance his partner of many years. 

This was his son, or Iniss’s son. His blood.

The baby stirred, dark eyes peering up at him, mouth working.

“Hey.” He whispered. “Hey little guy.” 

The baby grabbed his hand, squeezing a fingertip. 

He felt his face relax, and leaned to press a kiss to the top of his head. He smelled like a baby, the warm scent reminding him of his many cousins. This was his son, whatever involvement he’d had with his creation. 

“You thought of any names?” Eva asked, fond.  
“I haven’t really.” He sighed. “I never thought I’d meet him.” 

“Well. Now you have. Your services will no longer be needed, the baby is with his father.”

The medic’s eyes widened a bit. “Wait-you’re-but you’re….you’re Jake’s brother.”

“And I was a controller for five years.” He responded, shrugging the shoulder he didn’t have the baby tucked against. “I’ll look after him.”

The medic jerked her gaze between them, then nodded brusquely and turned back the way she had come.

“If you don’t feel up to it…” Eva’s tone was gentle.

“Please. It’s not really an option, is it? He’s here, and he needs me.” He tucked his nose against his son’s ear, breathing deeply of his scent. 

*~*~*~*~

Aunt Ellen slept most of the way back, Brooke curled up against her chest and the babies carefully secure in a pillow nest to keep them from rolling over. 

In berths designed for Hork-Bajir, they barely made a dent. 

He kept the baby boy – tentatively named Elijah – with him as he flew, though Jake held him while they were breaking atmosphere to make the sub-orbital jump. 

Jake was in awe of his nephew, lifting his hands and blowing between his fingers gently, letting Cassie peer at him. 

It was sort of funny to watch out of the corner of his eye, a bunch of kids who had just taken down a intergalactic scourge making awed eyes at a newborn. 

They needed it, probably, a chance to see what they were saving. 

Eva had stayed behind, which he knew made Marco uneasy, but…well. She had an entire group of Special Forces around her. If she wasn’t safe, he wasn’t sure who could be. 

He tapped out the landing codes, bringing it into dock as smoothly as possible and beginning the shutdown procedure. “Blade ship just landed?”

“Mhm. That’s the last communication we had.” Jake agreed. “The general said he’d picked up a few family members, and we sent a message to Andalite high command to intercept the ship Forest is on.” 

“Great.” He motioned to Elijah, opening his arms, and Jake made a little face of protest before he gave the baby back. “You can help Ellen with Sam and Ben.”

“OR you could help Aunt Ellen with Sam and Ben and I could take Elijah down.”

He snorted. “You don’t even like babies.”

“I’m making an exception for my nephew.” Jake said seriously, cracking a small smile.

He shook his head. “Marco, help Aunt Ellen, please.”

“She’s not my aunt.” Marco returned, but he was already heading back to the berths. “I bet if I morph gorilla….”

He gave Jake an alarmed look, but Jake was shaking his head and rolling his eyes. “If someone doesn’t catch him climbing the Empire State Building before the week is over, I owe Rachel a ton of money.”

“How much?” He laughed, jiggling Elijah gently in his arms. 

“Five hundred, we were like fourteen when we made the bet. Think dad will cover me?” 

“I think you might be grounded when we get home.” He grinned, shaking his head and heading for the door. 

“Look, if they’re retroactively grounding us for all the sneaking out, you’re not going to be in any better shape.” Jake complained, falling into step behind him. 

“Hey, officially I’m an adult.” He pointed out, already making a list in his head of baby crap he had to get for Elijah and Aunt Ellen’s twins.

“Right. Right. Sureeee. You going to try that argument on mom?” Jake smirked, toggling the gangplank. 

The general that Jake had been working with was standing at the bottom, someone who looked reasonably important on the other side of him, and the president of the United States had a hand on his mother’s shoulder. 

He doubted his mother even realized that the president was standing behind her, she had eyes for them and them alone.

She broke away from the important people with a sob and a cry of “boys!” that made his heart jump in his chest, and then charged up the ramp to embrace them both, squeezing them. “My boys. Oh god, my boys.”

“Mom.” Jake’s voice cracked a little over the word, arm looping around her waist. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I tried. I tried, mom.”

She shook her head, tears crawling down her cheeks. “You were amazing. You both were. I am so proud of both of you.” She shook her head again. “I love you, my boys. I love you so much.”

He put his free arm around her, not sure who was holding who up. Not sure how long until she noticed the baby in his arms. 

She broke away when Ellen appeared behind them, pulling her into a tight, whispering hug. 

“Where’s dad?” Jake asked quietly. 

“Still in line.” The general answered. “Your Uncle George and Cousin Justin are also soon to join us. They just need to be cleared.” 

Jake nodded. “And Forest?”

“The ship is being brought back, the Andalites are giving us a three day window in which it should return. You Uncle Dan was actually on the pool ship and is still being processed.” The general was giving him a long, thoughtful look. “This is your brother?”

“Yes, this is Tom.” Jake’s voice had the edge of challenge. 

“You’re the one that scrambled the codes in Boston before my people got there?” The general asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Only the personal data. If you need a translator, I can do that.” He answered, shifting Elijah in his arms. “Plus the locks on the pool.” 

“Why the locks on the pool?” The general ground out.

He tilted his head, glancing at Jake. 

“We thought it was a necessity to secure the prisoners.” Jake answered, just as cool. 

“I don’t agree. That should have been discussed before it was done.” The general snapped.

The very important looking personal cleared their throat. “General. We owe Jake and his team quite a lot.”

“Not enough that they control enemy combatants.”

“Yeerks in a pool are no more combatants than this little guy.” He objected. “They’re helpless, blind. All anyone would need to do to destroy them is introduce poison into their environment.”

“You sound an awful lot like a collaborator.” The president snapped.

He rolled his eyes. “I was infested – involuntarily – five years ago. While you –“ He made a sharp gesture to the president. “Were running for reelection. Nobody gave a shit. I know what it is like to be helpless, general. I don’t care what you think I sound like. I did what was morally right. I am sick of death, and sick to death of dead end roads.”

“While that is all very admirable, Mr. Berenson, this is a democracy. While we may agree with the path you have chosen, the general is right to say that he should have accepted the surrender. Not you.” The president said very quietly. “The fact that you and your brother went to great lengths to assure that you were the first to arrive at an enemy facility is…well. It is very troubling.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “The only thing that is troubling, sir, is that you’re standing in the way. I’d like to see my father.”

“Yeah, you know, we won your war for you.” Marco said behind them. “So maybe let us handle this how we want.”

“This is not a discussion.” The president ordered. “Let us back into their system.”

“For what? So you and the Andalites can use it to pick and choose who gets out? No.” He shifted Elijah for a moment, feeling the first itch of the desire to morph. It was weird. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d even started the morphing process on his own before, but his body remembered how to be powerful, remembered the scales and the fur and the rightness of sliding into another body. 

“’What’ is not a discussion we’re having with a kid.” The general growled. 

The president looked faintly irritated. “Look, what we do from here -“

“Is help provide support for the former hosts. Not try to get into the computer system.” He answered, flat. 

His mom was hovering behind them, narrowing her eyes. “General. Tom and Jake did what they thought they needed to do to secure prisoners. You should be thanking them.” 

“I’ll thank them when they get out of the business of doing as they please.” The general growled. “My men-“

“Were not sacrificed.” Jake said, stepping down, scowling. “WE infiltrated the pool ship. We grounded it with minimal casualties via our alliances. I am sorry your men didn’t get to take the personal risk and glory of an open assault, but we found a better way.” 

The general leaned back, scowling, clearly furious. 

“Now. General. Mr. President. Captain.” Jake paused to give the well-dressed man a nod. 

The man returned it, offering his hand as Jake passed. “Thank you, Jake. We owe you and your family a great debt. Please call me if you need absolutely anything. And – Mr. Berenson. Congratulations.” 

He glanced at Jake, frowning, questioning. 

Jake shook his head, motioning his team passed the Very Important People without another word. 

His mom waited until they were well out of sight before she turned, hand ghosting over his cheek and then dropping to the little bundle in his arms quietly, questioning. 

He dropped his gaze for a moment, feeling the silence as it hung between them. 

Jake shifted awkwardly next to them, clearly uncertain what he should say. Or if he should say anything at all. He was aware of him out of the corner of his eye, focused only because he was used to watching for any glimpse of his family when the Yeerk was in control. 

His mom took a deep, shuddering breath. “You don’t have to, Tom. You know you don’t. Your father and I…”

“I know.” He lifted his head, managing a small, crooked smile. “Thanks.”

She hugged him again, pressing her lip to his forehead when he leaned down to let her. “I love you. I’ve said that so many times over the past few years, and I was always saying it to you, even when I didn’t know there was something between us. I am so sorry we failed you, Tom.” 

“I failed you too.” He blurted out, voice uneven, on the verge of breaking. “I couldn’t-I didn’t.” He had tried so hard to twitch his hand, to do something to warn them. 

“I know, honey. I know.” She cradled his face. “I never blamed you for a moment. Not even a second, Tom.”

“Mom-“ Jake’s voice broke a little. 

“You either.” His mom said, and laughed, it was the sort of pained, nearly unhinged laugh that he was used to hearing in the pool. A bit unsteady, a bit forced, but there. “You both tried so hard, and we made it. We made it.”

Which was hard to argue with.

“Now. We’re going to go get your father and start putting it all back together.”

This time, he didn’t want to argue.


	2. What We Left Behind

The hall in the convention center was long, but was filled with quiet conversation. Catching each other up. Him on the years of being a controller, Jake on the years of being a rebel, them both on the war from different sides since she had found out about all of it.   
It was cathartic, and it was painful. Some things stuck in his throat like broken glass, and other times Jake looked away, shoulders square, eyes focused on the wall.   
Her face briefly pained, but his mom was good. She was really good. She was one of the best people he knew. “Have you named him yet?” 

“Well, I was thinking Elijah. Because Jake was soundly against Jeramiah.”

His mom glanced at Jake, bemused grin on her face. “Your Great Uncle Jeramiah was a good person.”

“Look, mom, he was also talking about naming him ‘Fivel’ after the cartoon mouse.” Jake said, face grim. “I had to put my foot down.”

His mom laughed, raking her fingers through her shortened hair, though he could see the gleam of tears in her eyes. “Let me hold my grandson.”

And just like that, his family closed around the baby, and he let his mom take him. They had been through hell, and they were accepting what had come of it. His grandmother would have been pleased. 

She cooed for a moment, nestling her cheek against his head. “Welcome to the world baby boy.” She whispered a soft prayer that he pretended not to hear, the hums of it familiar after the births of all of his cousin. 

He let it steady him, ground him, and felt like some of the yawning pit in his stomach closed a bit. 

“Jean?” His father’s voice broke on the words, and shudders. “Boys?” 

“Dad.” Jake’s voice was soft, rough, full of so much pain that he flinched without meaning to. 

His father joined them, not commenting on the baby his mother was holding as he closed them in his arms. His grip was rough, almost painful, but he couldn’t have pulled away from this moment if he wanted. 

He was taller than his father now. He hadn’t been this close to him in years. 

Steve took a moment before he stepped forward to peer at the baby. “Look at this little one. Has he had his shots yet? We should probably be washing our hands.”

Jake snorted, though he sniffled around it and mopped at his eyes. 

“He hasn’t had anything yet. Just got checked out by the medics once he was born.” He explained, touching the edge of the blanket.

Elijah was asleep, clearly exhausted by the day.

“We’ll need to get that taken care of. The entire city is a disaster zone. There are going to be all sorts of gems running around. Won’t there, little guy? We can’t have you getting the measles.” His dad’s voice dropped into baby talk, fingers gripping Elijah’s hand despite his warnings. “Or a cough. That would be a tragedy. So sticks, and more sticks, and you won’t like me much for a few minutes but you would like me less if you got a fever. Oh yes you would.”

It felt so normal, this trickle of ridiculous affection for his family. In this hallway, where they were all together. It made his chest tight, and made the veneer of coping he had thrown over everything that had happened crack a little bit. 

“Tom?” His Uncle Dan’s voice was a little unsteady, but Uncle George frankly looked much worse. 

Justin was a silent ghost behind them both, none of them touching me.

“Hey, Uncle Dan, Rachel’s just down that way.” He jerked his thumb. “Aunt Ellen waited on the bug fighter. She’s got Brooke with her. And…”

Uncle George gave a jerky little nod and started that way, not glancing back at Justin. He looked like a puppet that had only just left his strings behind. Which, really, was pretty accurate. 

Justin walked steadily towards them, accepting the arm that he slid around his shoulders and sagging into his side as though standing took just too much effort. 

He saw his dad’s look, and knew they would probably be talking about it later. 

“Hey, J-man.” He muttered, voice low. 

Justin wasn’t holding onto him, not really. But Uncle George was still walking away and nothing….he knew. 

Dad crouched down next to them, lifting Justin’s chin with fingertips. He knew his dad was running a few tests, could see in the way his fingers moved, the soft droning of his voice that wasn’t words anymore. It was just noise, pleasant noise but just noise. 

He became aware that his mother was looking at him, that his brother was leaning towards him, and that they might both be talking but he was really only aware of the sagging weight of Justin against his side and the tight feeling in his chest. 

His dad put a hand on his shoulder, using it to guide him down to the ground. Jake was looming over them eyes so big in his head that he couldn’t….he was scaring Jake. He was scaring Jake, he had to pull it together. 

Justin was settled into his lap, and his family was conversing, he could hear the noise without the words, the low murmur of concern and caution. 

Then Rachel was there, bright and grim, only briefly greeting her father before kneeling down and delivering a sharp slap. 

He jerked his head.

“Rachel!” Her father’s voice was the first thing that made it through the fog. 

“Get up or I’m going to have to carry you out of here.” Rachel told him bluntly. 

He nodded stupidly, accepting the hand she offered to help pull himself up, pulling Justin protectively to his side. 

“You can’t just hit people!” Uncle Dan sounded scandalized. “Tom, are you alright?”

“Thanks.” He muttered to his cousin. 

“Any time.” Rachel rolled her shoulders, clearly ready to fight. “Let’s get out of here. They’re letting the press in.” 

Jake gave a visible shudder. 

~*~*~*~

The government wasn’t quite ready to turn any of them loose. But the presence of the Animorphs meant that he had slightly better luck than the people on the Blade ship. From what he understood, there was a standoff occurring and the ship had been grounded, but nobody had been allowed to leave yet. 

Their solution was a hotel. A fairly nice affair near the remains of the Gardens, but still a hotel. Jordan and Sara were exploring the rooms, popping in to peer at people and laughing. 

Jake had flopped down on the bed in the room he had claimed for himself and wasn’t moving. 

Justin had curled up in the plush arm chair, hands tucked under his knees and had zoned out with an expression he could only describe as ‘waiting’. He probably wore it himself, but he knew it well on the faces of other hosts. Justin had been a controller for long enough that he had learned to shut off. Being active and alive just meant that the Yeerk returning hurt more. 

None of them had gotten off easily. 

“I’m going to take a shower.” He announced placidly. 

Jake twitched slightly but didn’t move. 

Justin didn’t even react. 

But he moved, gathering clean clothes – not much, but he had a pile of things he could wear and at least they included some clean underwear and socks – and a towel before moving into the bathroom. 

His dad had been hovering pretty close, at least until Elijah had started to fuss and needed a bottle. This was the first time he’d been alone since he’d woken up….yesterday? Probably enough time had passed for it to be considered yesterday. 

He turned on the shower, testing it with his fingertips before he stepped inside.

He was trying to avoid thinking about how long it had been since he’d taken a shower. But it was difficult. The body under his hands was different, harder, and leaner. He had never been inactive, but the Yeerk had drilled him into fighting form. 

He started to scrub, trying to put those thoughts away. They were intrusive and annoying. He wanted…he wanted to forget. 

The water ran clear by the time he was done, skin flushed and sensitive to the touch. He dried off quickly, trying to stem the awkward feeling that had gripped his stomach as he dressed. Nobody was going to yell at him for taking a shower, and it was his body anyway. Nobody could tell him not to do it. Nobody else was there to take offence at how he had done it. 

He was alone in his head, nobody else was there to edit his life. 

Damp hair still clinging to his forehead, he made his way out into the main room. Justin was where he’d been left, Jake appeared to be close to sleeping. 

He should probably go find Aunt Ellen and Uncle George, they would want to see Justin. Maybe. Probably. They had Ben and Sam and Brooke to look after. So maybe not.

Sara poked her nose around the corner of his doorframe and waved quickly before darting off again. 

He swallowed back the lump in his throat. 

“Come on, buddy. Let’s get some sleep.” He nudged Jake until Jake moved enough that he could pull the blankets down, then guided Justin to the bed before flopping down himself, little cousin and little brother tucked close to him. It took almost too much effort to pull the blankets over them, but once he did, he was almost immediately asleep. 

*~*~*~*~*~*

 

It took a few days for things to settle. For him to stop feeling like everything was going to go wrong. Elijah helped him, filling his life with new routines of bottles and diaper changes. 

He knew Elijah helped his parents as well, his mother was almost as quick to respond to the slightest cry as he was, and it seemed the only way his dad was able to sleep was curled up with Elijah in his arms. 

Which meant Elijah barely wanted for the crib they were still lacking, and gave everyone extra arms for dealing with the two month old twins. 

He had never suspected that his first few days of freedom would be his family all living in a hotel together. But he couldn’t change it for anything, and the fact that someone was handling meals made everything flow more easily. 

“Tom?” Uncle Dan said quietly. 

He jumped a bit, turning over his shoulder. 

Uncle Dan managed an apologetic expression, walking to his side and looking down.

Sara and Jordan were in the pool. Brooke had joined them, and Justin was sitting on the side, legs trailing in the water.

“Still keeping an eye on them?” Dan said, clasping his shoulder briefly. 

“They’ve been through so much. I guess I just…am waiting for the other shoe.” He admitted. 

“Me too. We knew they were safe, but….” Dan shook his head. “And Brooke, Justin and Forest were…”

He cracked his knuckles unconsciously, running his check. His body, he was in control. There was nothing else in his head but him. 

Dan clearly noticed, but didn’t say anything. “I think you’re holding together better than some adults, and Brooke barely acts like anything happened to her. I don’t know how you do it, kiddo.”

He shrugged. “There wasn’t much choice, you know? Survive or perish. I picked living.” He closed his eyes, knowing they had walked such a thin line. 

Any wrong move, any hesitation and things could have gone much differently. 

“Right.” Dan leaned against the balcony, staring down at the kids. “Where’s the little guy?”

“Forest or Elijah? Forest is with his mom and dad, Elijah is with my dad.” He finished popping the joints, letting a breath out. 

“Think he’ll be ok? Forest?” 

He nodded. “Little guy. Dad said he shows every sign of just needing time.”

“Are you going to be ok?” Uncle Dan asked, looking at him.

“I will.” He smiled, watching the girls splash around in the pool. 

Justin got up from the side of the pool, walking over to them and very quietly pressing into his side. 

He touched the top of the kid’s head, smoothing the messy hair back. “All good?”

Justin nodded, though he turned his face a little bit and made a soft noise in the back of his throat. 

The ideal age, he thought, and this time there was a flicker of anger beneath it. Forest was clingy, Brooke was forgetful, but Justin was utterly silent. Part of the program to make him a good host. Fuckers. 

“You going to swim with the girls?” He asked gently. 

Justin shook his head, leaning against him with a little sigh. 

He looped his arm around Justin, holding the younger kid close. 

Uncle Dan watched them, but didn’t say anything. His family had been exposed for just long enough to catch up on bits of host rules, except Aunt Naomi who was prone to thundering through the niceties and forgetful that her targets might not be up for the discussion of their situation.

His mother had a tendency to get in loud, expressive arguments with her for long enough that he could clear the room with whatever child had been addressed. 

“When does Jake get back?” Uncle Dan asked, finally deciding to just leave Justin’s presence as an accepted and comfortable thing.

“Probably tomorrow. He called last night to complain about the senate. Apparently they’re a bunch of “do nothing morons who think they know everything because they’re old.” Marco is having a good time, at least that’s what it seems like. Has Rachel called you?” He asked, still stroking Justin’s hair and shoulders.

“Yeah. She calls me whenever they have a break. She’s…well. Talking and interacting with politics has never been her ideal.” Dan chuckled. “Though, I’m still relearning her. She…she grew up a lot. I miss the old her, this new her is very sharp.”

“They had to be.” He gave Justin a squeeze. “She’s still her though, just like Jake is Jake. They just had to build a shell to hide behind.” 

Dan nodded, watching the girls splash around, giggling in the water. “I feel like I lucked out. Sara and Jordan were safe the entire time. Rachel was never infested. When I look at my brothers I just…god. My kids were, if not completely safe, at least protected. You and Jake went to war against each other.”

“Yeah.” He gave Justin another squeeze. “That was rough.” 

Understatement of the decade, but whatever.

Dan glanced at him, then down at Justin. “I’ll leave you alone.”

He grimaced faintly in response.  
*~*~*

“Tom!” Will bellowed, bolting across the tarmac with little regard for the very nervous military people with guns all around him.

He kept an eye on the guns, but put his arms around the kid and spun until his back was to them. Just in case.

The rest came slower, all looking tired and a bit worse for wear. Dirty, tired faces. He tried not to grimace at the guards, irritated. 

“Sir? Are you Tom? We are meant to release them to you. They have all been cleared.” The soldier looked nervous, glancing at the former controllers uneasily. 

“Yes I am. Come on, I stole a bus and we have a driver “

That got a few chuckles from his tired pack. Will was still wrapped around his waist.

The soldier in charge offered a vague salute, then spun on his heels and walked away without a word.

A few of the bolder former hosts reached out to touch his shoulder or back, and Melissa worked her way out of the group to put her arms around him and lean tiredly against his shoulder. “You are a sight for sore eyes.”

“I bet.” He kissed the crown of her head, ignoring the knowing looks he got from the ones closest to him. “Let’s get on the bus, you can tell me where those bastards have been keeping you.”

He made little motions with his hands, pushing them all to the bus.

“Where are we going?” Will asked, seemingly the less effected by being caged for a few more days.

“We took over a hotel. All of the Morphers and their families are there.” He explained, tugging at a backpack strap. “What is this?”

“Clothes. Some basic stuff, whatever personal stuff we had on the Blade ship, and I got an MRE. One of the soldiers gave it to me.” Will explained. “Once the three days passed they were much nicer.”

He snorted. “That’s because you are a cute kid, shrimpy.” 

Will poked his tongue out. At only ten, he was the youngest of the group by at least four years. He had also been a controller for the longest of them, outlasting Tom by a year. 

It was hard to realize that the kid had his head together better than most of them.

“How much have you morphed? They said they would shoot us if we did.” Will chattered. “Joyce said she would eat them if they shot any of us. That seemed to scare them.” Will looked entirely delighted by the idea.

“Did they let you shower?”

Joyce snorted, dropping her bag into a chair. “They were scared to let us near water. The yeerks might escape down the drain. We had to piss in a fucking bucket.”

He frowned. “Seriously.”

Melissa nodded, wilting against his side when he sat down, watching the rest file in.

“Fuckers. They wouldn’t even survive that.”

Melissa shrugged. “They all left before we landed anyway. In the pool on the blade ship now. None of them were stupid enough to try.”

He cuddled her against his side. “Well there are plenty of showers where we are going and zero buckets. There is even a pool full of chemicals that no yeerks could survive in.”

“How far?” Melissa asked. “I might take a nap.”

“Ten minutes max. I will wake you when we get there.” He kissed her head gently.

She sighed, tucking herself under his arm and clinging to his shirt.

Joyce chuckled and shook her head. “You two.”

“Hush, she’s tired.”

“We're all tired. Morphers make them nervous. Yeerks make them more nervous.” Joyce shrugged at him, leaning back. “You and your little girlfriend are not fooling anyone.”

He poked his tongue at her, thinking of Elijah, not sure how Melissa would react to him. “You’ll like the hotel. It's quiet. It was just us at first, but now they’re moving families in. So all the Morphers are together. Makes Marco paranoid, so I doubt it will last.”

“How is the old neighborhood?”

“Jake has been back. It is kinda wrecked he found our dog though and brought him to the hotel. Probably breaking some rule, but he makes everyone happy so whatever.”

Joyce nodded, closing her eyes. 

He tightened his grip on Melissa, listening to the people settling around him.

*~*~*~*

Melissa looked around his room critically, a slight smile on her face, backpack held loosely in her hand. It wasn't much, one queen sized bed, one tiny cot, a large tv with a stack of movies and a Nintendo and a PlayStation hooked to it. He and Jake had been trying to catch up on movie and game night. Lamps, radio, a couple of chairs. A Bible Jake kept spite reading because most hotels didn’t bother with Torahs and a couple novels they had salvaged and liked to make fun of.

“I can get you your own. If you want.” He offered, watching her, suddenly worried he had overstepped. Most of their relationship was built in time spent in the pool, or projecting his own feelings on her. She might not want anything to do with him

“Who sleeps here?” she asked, nodding to the cot.

“Jake, sometimes. When he's here and wants to not crawl into bed with me. He usually ends up with me anyway. We're both sorta clingy. Mostly the past bit he has been dealing with the negotiations. Justin does the same. His mom and dad are…well, Brooke and Forest take up a lot of their attention. So he stays with me a lot. I get him. He’s…Elijah sleeps here.” He patted the little basinet they had finally managed to secure for his son. “When he’s not with my dad and mom. Dad will probably want to look at your tonsils later. He’s convinced we’re all going to come down with something, says the city is a contagion hotbed.” 

“It’s so weird to think about.” She smiled at the little basket.

“Weirder to live it. He's great, though, and Jake is doing well and it…it's all pretty different and you want a shower and I should stop babbling at you.”

Melissa laughed, stepping closer, fingers closing around his wrist. “I like hearing what you are thinking rather than guessing from behind my eyes.”

He put his arm around her, bending to rest his chin on her head. “Shower?”

“Yeah. You coming?”

He blinked down at her. “You sure?”

“My hair hasn’t been washed in two weeks and I am pretty sure my bra is growing into my skin. The idea of someone else washing me is pretty alluring.”

He grinned, letting the door swing closed. “Well, if I can make one dream come true I guess that is pretty good.”

Melissa grinned at him, stripping off the grimy t-shirt and dropping it to the floor. She was filthy, and her bra was probably at least cutting into her under her arms. She turned her back to him, lifting her hair up. “Hygiene was the last thing anyone was thinking of towards the end.” 

He unfastened the bra carefully, pealing it off her skin. “And then they locked you in the dark.”

“Mhm. Basically a warehouse floor –oooo.” She arched a bit, shifting under his hands. 

“Sorry. It was digging into you. Do you have one of the tricorder things? Or a dermal regen kit?”

Melissa gave him a look over her shoulder. “ One, They’re not tricorders, they’re just medical scanners. Two, They don’t just repair skin. Three, I really want to shower first. Four, Yes I have the whole kit in my bag.”

He grinned. “Good girl. Make off with her entire kit?”

“Yeah. I thought we might need it, and she didn’t let me have anything super personal.” Melissa let her hair down. “My poor abused flesh.”

He took the bra to the sink, running cold water and pouring a half cup of soap over it. “Well, we can see what we can do about this.”

“Thanks. You’re a dear.” She stripped out of her jeans, and tore off the underthings to dump them in the waste basket. “Don’t even try with those, I have a pack in my bag.”

He eyed her fondly, and she gave him a look that was halfway between teasing and defiant. “Yes, Melissa. Go start the shower.” 

She fished into her bag, coming up with a t-shirt and a pack of what looked like toiletries before she went in.

He scrubbed at the bra, trying to take the first layer of grime off it. Who knew when they’d get something in her size that would be comfortable to wear? Better safe than sorry.

“I told you that you were washing my hair.” She called over the water.

“I’m coming. I just needed to get this started.” He stripped off his t-shirt as he went, dropping it off the counter. 

Melissa was standing under the shower, watching swirls of dirt as they circled the drain. “I am filthy.” 

He finished stripping, stepping into the narrow shower stall with her, resting his hands briefly on her back. He was too big and the stall was too small for them to avoid touching. She smelled like sweat and grime, and too many days without anything. 

She sighed, leaning into him, forcing him to rearrange his hands. He wrapped them around her waist, clinging a little.   
She tilted her head back, leaning her head into his shoulder. “It’s weird, isn’t it?”

He huffed a sigh against her shoulder. “So weird. I’m glad you’re here.” 

“Me too. Though I’m sorry you have to put up the BO.” She chuckled, idly gliding a hand down his arm. “Have you always been so buff? I never noticed.” 

He pressed his face to her neck, relief shivering through him. He had been afraid that they wouldn’t make it. Pretty much every day since he’d been infested he had been waiting to die. Caring about someone as a controller was a dangerous game, but here they were, cracking jokes like they were a normal couple and not barely staying upright. “A few layers of dirt can’t hide what I know.”

“I always knew you were a poet.” She cradled his cheek. “But right now I need your hands more than I need your mouth. Please?”

He laughed. “Yeah, I know. I’m here for my secular uses. You ok with kneeling or sitting?”

“You’re not tall enough?” She teased, but obligingly sank to the floor of the shower. “Ugh. Can you smell me?” 

“No, I can’t smell you.”

“Liar.”

He lathered up her hair, and proceeded to rinse and lather it up twice more before he was satisfied that her hair was clean. It was still a tangled mess, but he could work with that. 

She was half dozing at his feet, only lifting her arms to let him scrub beneath them and rumbling appreciatively somewhere in her throat. 

“Don’t morph lion in the tub.”

“I won’t. That feels good.” 

He smoothed a sudsy hand over her stomach, and caught her eye as she opened it. 

“Stop?” He asked, careful.

“You’ve been down there before. I don’t care.”

He snorted. “Lissa.”

“Really, I don’t.” She took his hand and guided it down between her legs, watching as he scrubbed and spread soap bubbles down her legs and thighs. “That’s one thing I think I agree with her on.”

“Hm?”

“It doesn’t have to be sexual just because we’re naked.” 

He paused, considering. “It usually was.”

“But that wasn’t us.” She offered, pragmatic. “Yeerks like…love…feelings things. The pleasures of the flesh or whatever. Islin ate just as much ice cream and sweet things as she did seeking out a good fuck.” Melissa arched into him. “Right now, I maybe could get off on the sheer pleasure of being clean. Sometimes she got thrilled over textures. Like sand. She loved sand, it was insane. Sand and mud.” 

He sighed, scrubbing down her thighs and watching the water swirl. “Alright. I just don’t want you to feel like…I don’t know.”

“Like you just see me as a sexual object and a means to satisfaction? Tom, you were scrubbing my bra in the sink because you wanted to make sure I had one, there is no risk of that. There is a risk of me melting if we stay in here much longer, though.”

He laughed. “Yes, princess, I will get you a towel.” 

*~**~~*

He tossed the battered t-shirt and jeans into the laundry after he was done with her bra. 

He had spent probably an hour brushing the tangles out of her hair until the whole mess of it was clean and shiny again, then had worked on the bra until the fabric smelled only of soap. 

Melissa was sitting on the edge of the bed in his t-shirt and nothing else, watching him with a faraway gaze that told him she was on the verge of falling asleep. 

“Alright.” He murmured, picking up the subdermal regeneration kit and carrying it over to the bed. “Can I take care of you now?”

“Mhm. Now? Haven’t you been taking care of me since I got here?” She smiled wistfully, but lifted the t-shirt so he could examine her and close the sores her clothes had rubbed on her skin. “It’s not that bad, you know.”

“Maybe I just like an excuse to use this thing.” He smiled faintly. “But really, even if it’s just scrapes and bruises, we should take care of it. We have time.”

“Hmm.” She closed her eyes, tipping her head back a bit as he worked. 

“All done.” He announced, once the scanner beeped to inform him that there was nothing left of her injuries. 

Melissa dropped the hem of her shirt, she was not a tiny person, but his shirt covered her completely. “You know, we don’t have to do anything, but we can, if we want.”

He dropped the device back into its case and closed it, tucking all of the supplies away. “We could.”

“It’s weird.” She said, voice thoughtful. “Suddenly having choices again.”

“Yeah.” He covered her hand with his. 

Her face twisted for a moment, eyes pinching to nearly closed. “It shouldn’t be.” 

“No. It shouldn’t.” There was nothing to argue there. Nothing to tell her that wouldn’t make it all seem like he was waving it off.

She leaned forward, pressing her face into his neck, arms wrapping around him with sudden fierceness. 

She didn’t cry, and to be honest he had been expecting tears. But he had been expecting tears from himself for the two weeks since it had all ended. None had come yet. 

He kissed the side of her head, and rocked her slowly in his arms until the little gasping catches in her breathing faded. 

She sat up slowly, hands closing on the bedspread. “Sorry.”

“Hey. No. You don’t have to be, Lissa.” He tucked an errant strand of hair out of her face, meeting her gaze. “Grieve it. Don’t bottle it up.”

“Right.” She licked her lips. “I did all of that reading for nothing if I can’t apply it.”

“They’re talking about getting some therapists in here. Let us talk to them.” He hesitated. “I’m really not sure how much it will help. But I’m willing to try.” 

She nodded. “I’m kinda hungry. I think. I could sleep too. Does this place do room service?”

“Only kitchen service, and they sort of require pants.”

Melissa rolled her eyes. “Can you fish some out of my backpack, then?” 

“You know I bet some of Jordan’s stuff would fit you.”

“Jordan is thirteen.” Melissa deadpanned in response. 

“Jordan is going to be a giant like the rest of our family. Except Jake, who is doomed to always be small.” He pulled out a pair of shorts and underwear, tossing them to her. “They didn’t give you much, did they?”

“How tall is Jake?” She asked wryly, wiggling into her underthings. 

“Uhhhh. 6’2, I think. Still shrimpy.”

Melissa rolled her eyes at him. “Maybe you’re just a giant.”

He considered that for a moment. “Nah. I think Jake’s just small.” 

Melissa shook her head. “Is it a no shirt, no shoes, no service joint?” She wiggled her toes. 

“Jake regularly forgets to put on anything but muscle tees and skinny jeans, you’re probably fine to go to lunch in shorts and a t-shirt.” His t-shirt, still, which meant he could only just see the shorts peeking out from under it. 

“Thank god. I’m not ready for any black tie affairs.” She hook her arm through his. 

“I mean the cook here is pretty good. I think he could charge us a hundred dollars a plate if he wanted.” She let him lead, which was fine. Eva tended to jerk him around, make sure they were going in the same direction, Rachel marched everywhere. 

Jake had two modes. “On” and “off.” On Jake was on high alert and might shed his skin if you touched him wrong, off Jake tended to be limp and boneless and tended to not want to go anywhere. On Jake honestly worried him more. 

“So how many people are here? I mean, aside from the people we just go in?” Melissa leaned into him, letting Loren and her dog pass them by. Loren barely glanced at them, clearly intent on whatever she was reading. 

“Oh, probably fifty or so. Six more or less depending on where Jake and his group are at any given moment. We’ve got a support staff – really something like a skeleton crew – who feed and fetch things for us. Homer has his own dog walker and military escort. He thinks it’s the best thing in the world, the idiot.” 

She offered a tentative smile. “So Jake, his morphers, you, your parents….?”

“Their families. My other cousins, too. Jordan, Sara, Forest, Brooke and Justin. My aunts and Uncles are here, and they’re talking about bringing my Nonna here. I kinda hope they don’t. My mom’s family is good, really, and most of my dad’s. But nonna is 93, and she’s getting a little senile and sometimes she has no idea what is going on.” They had enough zombies, he thought. He didn’t want to be the one to explain Yeerks to his great grandmother. “There’s also the aux kids. Most of them are in pretty bad shape – not because of the war, Jake went recruiting in children’s hospitals.”

Melissa made a face. “I remember hearing about that. Are they ok?”

“Once we got the equipment for them, they’re doing better than the rest of us. They’re great.” He grinned, giving her a little spin. She went with it, though she gave him a warning look when he seemed like he might do it again. “And now you, and the others, and pretty soon we’ll be a regular little town.”

“A regular little town full of ex hosts and people who can turn into animals.” She stated, thoughtful.

“And some very grumpy adults.” 

“You’re an adult too, Tom.” She raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve been accused of being an adult, but really I’m still fourteen in my mind.” He wiggled his fingers dismissively, then found himself going automatically into his knuckle popping check. 

Melissa watched him for a moment, then caught his hand and ran her fingers between his. “I blink.”

“Sorry?” 

She looked away, still holding his hand. “When I wake up. I blink a few times. Just to make sure I can.” 

“Yeah.” He grimaced, giving her hand a squeeze. “We’ve all got our things.” 

The cafeteria was quiet, though the room was crowded when he pushed open the door. James caught his eye as he came in, managing a slanting smile. He nodded in response, making a beeline to his family. 

Will was sitting with the other kids, he and Justin had their heads together and were folding napkins. Not talking. But it passed as something like engaging with his peers and he was glad to see Justin reaching out to someone. Brooke leaned over to show them both her napkin, and Will nodded in response.   
Good. Better paper, maybe?

He filed the thought away for later. 

His dad was holding Elijah, mom and Aunt Ellen were talking about something quietly over coffee – which was weird, his mom hated coffee, but she seemed to be drinking it more often lately. Forest was asleep on her lap. 

Uncle Dan and Uncle George were eating.

Aunt Naomi wasn’t with them, which wasn’t as unusual as he wanted it to be. Aunt Naomi was the lucky one of his family, and her lack of tact for dealing with her ex and his family made her less welcome in the hotel than anyone who lived here. 

“Tom!” His dad stood with a smile that seemed genuine. “And-Melissa Chapman?”

“Mr. Berenson.” Melissa answered with a smile. 

“I remember you. I put thirteen stitches into your chin after Rachel brought you to one of the family reunions.” 

“Yep. It healed up just fine.” Melissa lifted her thumb to her chin. “I demanded Strawberry Shortcake Band-Aids and I think my dad cried more than I did.”

His dad touched her chin, smile a bit shaky. “Hendrik was always emotional about you. It’s good to see you. Are you visiting Rachel?” 

“No. Tom.” She smiled gently, not seeming bothered by the brush of the fingers on her skin or the fact that his dad still wasn’t quite looking at her. It was hard for former hosts, but they had all gone to the same summer camp here. “He told me about Elijah and I wanted to meet him.”

His dad lit up, presenting the sleeping grandson proudly. “Isn’t he perfect?” 

“Absolutely. You’re so lucky to have such an adorable grandson.” The enthusiasm sounded a bit forced to his ears, but his dad clearly couldn’t hear it. Elijah was asleep, dressed in a duck onsie and a blue knitted cap. 

“Tom? Is everything ok?” His mom’s voice was softer than he remembered. 

“Remember I told you I was going to pick some people up?” He motioned to Melissa and nodded to the fuller cafeteria. 

“Ah.” Her face cleared into something verging on sympathetic before she schooled it away. “It’s good to see you, Melissa. Are you parents…?” She trailed off carefully. 

“I haven’t heard anything yet.” Melissa’s smile faded a bit. “I’ll let you know when I do. Tom has been showing me around.” 

His mom glanced at their still linked arms, one eyebrow raised in question.

He shrugged in return.

She smiled a bit more naturally, and lifted her cup to sip at it. “Have you heard from Jake?”

“Nothing that wasn’t on the news.” He let Melissa untangle from him, let her distract his dad with a better topic than Animorphs and former controllers. 

“Nothing good is ever on the news these days.” Ellen interjected, stroking Forest’s hair quietly. 

“Nothing real is ever on the news.” Dan muttered out of the side of his mouth. 

“Sh.” His mom said, extending her hand as though she could physically smooth the tension out of her relatives. 

He smiled faintly in response. It was good to know which of their parents Jake had gotten it from. “If I hear anything.”

“Usually you’ll tell me.” His mom twisted the cup in her hands. “I understand, Tom. That you and you brother have been through….things I wish I couldn’t imagine. But I wish you’d trust me.”

He nodded. “I know, and we do.” 

Ellen laughed suddenly, though it had the brittle, half flat quality that seemed to suffuse her even when she was with the twins. “How do you come back from war?” 

“I don’t know. But when you figure it out, please share with the rest of us.” He joked, though nobody smiled. 

Melissa had managed to get Elijah and was cooing over the baby, his dad leaning over them. 

“Where are Sammy and Ben?” He asked. 

“Oh. Naomi said something impolite this morning, so she offered to watch them as penance. I figure they’re so little she can’t do much harm.” Ellen shrugged. “It’s not like she’ll stop putting her foot in her mouth, but I could use the break for a few hours. She wanted to watch Forest too, but… My special little angel and my dear, dear, loved, helpful sister in law spending too much time together was only going to end in tears.” 

He pulled a chair over from one of the other tables, sitting on it backwards. “How’s he?”

“Talking. We’re at least back to talking.” She smiled. “Just one word stuff, but it’s more than we had. So. Justin likes the new kid, Brooke too. What’s his story?”

“About Forest’s age when they got him, police commissioner’s son. Got him through daycare.” 

Ellen’s forehead furrowed, lips pressing into a thin, bloodless line. “Fuckers. Whoever made up the strategy for spies needs to be shot into the sun.”

He grimaced. “I think she was stepped on by a gorilla.”

“Remind me to buy Marco a drink.” Ellen snarled, leaning over her son. 

“Marco is sixteen.” His mother reminded quietly.

“He just fought an intergalactic war, I don’t think a few beers is going to stunt his growth or get him into anything he shouldn’t. Unless you’re planning on emptying out Tom’s mini-bar.” Ellen rolled her eyes.

“I’ll have you know that I only drank myself to sleep the first two nights, and dad was watching Elijah.” 

His mother looked briefly pained. 

“And Jake?” Ellen pressed, only looking mildly vindicated. 

“Ehhh.” He wavered his hand in the air. “I don’t think he’s at risk of becoming an alcoholic. He’s at least moderating better. I’m trying to convince him to get on something like…prescribed…but he’s convinced he’ll shed it as soon as he morphs.” 

Ellen glanced to where the kids were, then shook her head. “We threw babies at aliens and somehow we’re here.”

“We didn’t throw them.” His mom objected, shooting him a quietly concerned look. 

It felt weird sometimes to be one of the adults, as much as his mother tried. Uncle Dan came to him for advice, Aunt Ellen treated him like a sibling, and Uncle George – well, Uncle George sometimes had to be reminded to eat and take baths, so he wasn’t treating anyone like much. “Someone did. We made do.” 

His mom sighed, knuckles paling around her coffee cup. 

He was probably going to have to steal Elijah away to get Melissa back on track, but for now she seemed happy, and he wanted to let her cuddle the little guy.

*~*~*~*~

He woke in a half startle, arms tightening around Melissa, attention focused very intently on the room around him before his instincts registered his brother standing above them. 

Jake was breathing hard, and looked utterly wrecked. Exhausted. “Please tell me you’re wearing clothes.”

In lieu of a verbal answer, he lifted the blanket to show that they were both, in fact, clothed. Melissa in shorts and a tank top, himself in athletic pants and a t-shirt. 

“Oh thank god.” Jake groaned softly, closing his eyes briefly. “He…did you wear morphing suits to bed?” 

“Jake, you’re my brother and I love you, but if you don’t get in this bed and go to sleep right now I am morphing cobra and giving you just enough of a dose of neurotoxin to knock you unconscious.” He told his brother, squinting at him in the half-light that was hitting them from the door. “And close the door, I know our mother didn’t raise you in a barn.” 

Jake snorted, but obligingly closed the door before he slipped under the blanket and nestled against his back.

He waited until his breathing went from the panting, unsteady gasps of a panic attack. “How was DC?”

Jake made a muffled noise against his shoulder. “Is that Melissa Chapman?”

“Touché.” He rolled a bit, tucking his arm around his brother. “You ok?”

“Yeah. Just….there’s so many people and they all think they have the right answer.” Jake resettled. “But seriously, is that Melissa Chapman? When did she get here?”

“Last week, and yes. It is.”

Jake seemed to ponder that for a moment. “Huh.”

“Yeah.” He agreed. 

“Rachel yelled at the Queen of England.” Jake said softly. 

“Sounds like her. Everything cool?”

Jake snorted. “Depends on who you ask. The prime minister was very affronted.” 

“Oh no, whatever shall we do, affronted? Deary me.” He rolled his eyes. “Did they decide anything?” 

“To come back in two weeks.” Jake closed his eyes. “So here I am.”

“Waking me up in the middle of the night.” He noted. 

“Waking you up in the middle of the night. Checked in with mom and dad to let them know I was back, they had Elijah, so I figured you were alone.”

“Never figure I’m alone. I made up voices in my head to stay entertained.” He noted, faintly sarcastic.

“Are any of them cute girls?” Jake retorted, giving Melissa an odd look, clearly thinking about something. “Was she…I mean?”

“Yeah. She was.” 

“Oh.” Jake went quiet. “You know her dad was the highest level controller we knew about for a while?”

“How long a while?” The times Jake was willing to talk about the war were rare and had to be carefully encouraged, no matter how tired he was. 

“Maybe the first year or so?” Jake sighed, arranging himself in a slightly more dignified sprawl. “Then we found out about Eva.”

“Mhm.” Despite the fact that Jake was talking about the war, and that was good and great and he should be encouraging it, he was exhausted.  
“Then I guess we just…forgot.” Jake sounded a little sad. “I didn’t know she’d gotten infested.”

“It was late in the war. After mom and dad.” He told him, gentle.

“Oh.” Jake nodded, and went still and quiet.

He thought for a bit he had fallen asleep, he was certainly on his way to dozing.

“Tom?”

“Mhm?” His brain snapped alert. 

“When were you infested?” Jake’s voice was small in the darkness. 

He sighed. “Summer before freshman year, started going to the sharing at the end of eighth grade.”

Jake was quiet again. “So you were…what, fourteen?”

“Yeah. Almost fifteen, but still.”

Jake’s arm tightened slightly, but he went quiet and mostly still again, face pressed close and breath hot against him.

“You can ask questions, kid, I won’t break.” He offered, finally. 

“No. It’s not that…just…trying to figure out when I noticed the change.” Jake sucked on his lower lip with an obscene sounding smack. “I know I did. But it felt small at the time. Like…maybe being an almost high schooler you just didn’t like me anymore.” 

“I never stopped liking you, Midget. Not even for a minute.”

Jake huffed. “Yeah…I uh…I know. I got…” His little brother hesitated. “Never mind.”

“What?”

Jake was silent, but it was easy to tell from his breathing that he wasn’t asleep. “Early on. We-it was….the governor? When they were going to infest the governor.”

He nodded. “Yeah?”

“Well. They’d set up a pool in a hot tub, and we rewired it to turn on again. There was a fight and I fell in.”

His heart sank. “Jake…”

“I-“ Jake shuddered. “Temrash. I had him in my head for three days, before they starved him out. And the fugue…I got some memories, and he showed me….so I knew. You know? That you never stopped. It made it harder sometimes.” 

Wordless, he tightened his arm around his baby brother, stomach churning and unhappy. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” Jake’s voice was soft. 

There wasn’t much to say after that.

**Author's Note:**

> So you ever have that moment of reading through your own work and going "Man I cannot wait to find out what happens next!" So have more of this. I apparently desperately wanted to see what happened when the fam got all back together. No Naomi hate, she is just blunt to the point of ow.


End file.
